Earth moving apparatus and fluid control therefor



62 J. E. HANCOCK 3,066,429

EARTH MOVING APPARATUS AND FLUID CONTROL THEREFOR Filed April 3, 1961 2Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. JAMES EUGENE HANCAUL A TTOPNYS Dec. 4, 1962 J.E. HANCOCK 3,066,429

EARTH MOVING APPARATUS AND FLUID CONTROL THEREFOR Filed April 3, 1961 2Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. JAMES Eumewe HANCOCK 21M k/ en 3,49%,429 MGVHNGAPEARATEE AND FL UED (IQNTROL THEREFSR James Eugene Hancock, Box 1359,Lubbock, Tex. Filed Apr. 3, 1961, der. No. ldlhll' 7 lClaims. (til.37-129) This invention relates to earth-handling apparatus and fluidcontrol therefor, and particularly of the type wherein forced ejectionof the earth is accomplished through a door opening in the bottomthereof. The earth-handling apparatus is of the type disclosed in Patent2,691,041 issued May 7, 1957, and the present application is acontinuation in part of application Serial No. 729,607 filed April 21,1958, now Patent No. 2,988,832.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide earthhandling apparatus, sometimes referred to as elevating scrapers, whereina box is utilized for receiving the material being moved; providing thebox with a door opening in the forward portion of the bottom thereof andhaving an endgate which may be moved forwardly in the box to positivelyforce the material through the door opening and thereby clean the box ofthe material.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide a mobile framestructure having side walls forming the box or earth carrying part ofthe apparatus, having open rear and front ends; to provide a scraper ordirt removing blade mounted on the frame in advance of the dirtcollecting box; to provide conveyor or elevating means on the frame ofthe apparatus for moving the dirt from the blade to the box; to providea bottom in the rear portion of the box structure and a door opening inthe forward portion of the bottom; to provide a moveable bottom forclosing the open forward portion of the bottom of the box structure; toprovide an endgate moveable inside the box from rear to front to movethe dirt from the box through the door opening; to provide means formoving the moveable door or bottom portion of the box from an open to aclosed position and vice versa; to provide hydraulic means for openingand closing the door and for moving the endgate forwardly and pushingthe earth material from the box structure and retracting said endgate;to provide a strike-off blade pivotally mounted on the forward edge ofthe moveable bottom whereby when the door is open the weight of theearth material will force the strike-off blade to a vertical positionfor leveling the earth material as it is discharged from the box; and toprovide means on the strike-elf blade for cooperating with means on thebox structure to return the strikeolf blade to horizontal position uponclosing of said door in the bottom of the box.

Further objects of the present invention are to provide fluid controlmechanism for moving the moveable door and moving the endgate of theearth moving apparatus; to provide means for the fluid control wherebythe operation of the valve controlling the fluid to the respectivecylinders and movement of the respective parts will be controlled by theresistance encountered on the endgate and moving door, and to provide adevice of this character simple and economical to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent inthe following description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings wherein are set forth by way of illustration and examplecertain embodiments of this invention.

PEG. 1 is a side and partly cross-sectional view of my earth-handlingapparatus.

FIG. 2 is a side View of the earth-handling apparatus showing sameattached to a tractor.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged partly cross-sectional view of the endgate inforward position.

rates Patent dfihlhdzd Patented Dec. 4, 1%2

FIG. 4 is an enlarged rear perspective view of the endgate of FlG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic illustration of the hydraulic cylinders controlvalve and lines leading from the tank and pump for movement of the fluidtherethrough.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

1 designates a trailer-type implement propelled by a tractor 2 with apower or drive connection from the tractor to operating parts on thetrailer-type implement for driving the same.

The trailer-type implement is an elevating scraper or earth movingapparatus having a frame 3, the rear end of which is supported by groundengaging wheels 4, and the forward end of the frame 3 has a pair of arms5 pivotally connected thereto as at 6, with said arms extendingforwardly and terminating in a goose neck 7 having a fifth wheelconnection or draft coupling member 8 at its forward end.

The frame includes side members 9 with uprights 11 near the rear endconnected by an upper cross member 113 and a lower cross member 14, asshown in Patent No. 2,988,832. The frame includes side rails 16 at theupper extremities thereof, and which extend forwardly of the rear end ofthe frame and secured to the side rails 16 are side walls 17 closed by abottom 18 forming a box 3.9 for the earth material. The bottom 18extends forwardly from the rear of the frame a substantial distance butterminates rearwardly of the forward extent of side walls 17 forming adoor opening The side walls have forwardly extending portions 21 on eachside thereof for a purpose later described. A forward portion of theside rails 16 are provided with uprights as illustrated in ourco-pending application.

Slightly forwardly of the uprights on the side rails 16 and secured toeach of the side walls 17 and extending from the forward portion of theframe is a scraper blade 22 extending between the sides and transverselyof the trailer unit. The extensions 21 of the side walls 17 are providedwith brackets 23 at each side of the framework structure to which ispivotally attached, as indicated at 24, one end of an hydraulicextensible member 25 and having its other end pivotally attached asindicated at 2-5 to a bracket 27 depending from the arm 5 of the gooseneck 7, whereby the extension of the extensible members moves the sidewalls with the blade 22 and thus the forward end of the trailer-typeimplement downwardly relative to the arms 5 to engage the scraper blade22 with the ground.

A conveyor 28 is supported on the scraper structure whereby operation ofsaid conveyor moves the chains 29 thereof and the flights 3% thereonrearwardly and upwardly on the lower run of said conveyor whereby itrakes dirt from the scraper blade 22 rearwardly into the box 19, theforward lower end of the conveyor being suitably supported whereby itwill float upwardly on earth being moved over the scraper blade but itsdownward movement is limited so the flights will. pass over the scraperblade in closely spaced relation thereto.

The tractor 2 may be either a wheel or a track type suitable forpropelling the scraper and having a power take-off and gearing mechanism(not shown) but illustrated in Patent No. 2,988,832 and mechanism foroperating the elevator mechanisms shown in Patent No. 2,931,451.

An endgate or ejector plate 31 is provided for movement within the box19 and comprises the rear of the box when the endgate is in the rearmostposition, as illustrated in FIG. 1. The lower edge of the endgate 31 isindicated at 32 and provides an edge 33 for movement along the floor orfixed bottom 18 of the rear portion of the box. The upper edge of theendgate 31 is angled substantially vertically as indicated at 34 topreenemas oi vent the dirt from spilling over the rear of the structure.The upper edge of the endgate in its rearmost position rests against thecross member 13 and forms a rear closure member for the box.

Secured to a horizontal portion of the side members 9 are angle-shapedmembers 36 and 37 (FIG. 1). A horizontal portion 38 of the shaped member36 forms a trackway 38 on each side of the side frame for supportingpairs of rollers 39 and 40 mounting a door 41 movable under the bottomof the box 19 for closing the door opening 20. Spaced from the forwardand rear ends of the bottom closing door 41 on each side thereof andsuitably secured thereto by welding or other means are upstandingbrackets 42 and 43 provided with openings for receivng short shafts 44and 45 for mounting the rollers 39 and 40 respectively which are flangedon one side as indicated at 46 so that the inner surface of the flangeengages laterally against the angle-shaped member 36. The brackets 42and 43 support the moving bottom which is slidable underneath the fixedbottom 18 as illustrated in FIG. 1.

Hinged to the forward edge 47 of the movable bottom 41 is a strike-offblade 47 for leveling of the earth material as it drops from the dooropening in the bottom of the box as hereinafter shown. The strike-offblade 47 supports horns 48 extending upwardly from the rear thereof andacts as cams for engaging a roller 49 mounted on a shaft 50 secured tothe side members of the box, as illustrated in FIG. 1, so that when thedoor 41 is moved forwardly the horn will strike the roller and thestrike-off blade will be moved to a horizontal position as shown in FIG.1.

The endgate 31 rolls on the bottom 18 of the box. Rollers 51 and 52 aremounted in grooves or cut away portions 53 and 54 in the lower edge 55of the endgate and spaced from each side 56 as illustrated in FIG. 4.The rollers are mounted on shafts (not shown) secured in the notches sothat the endgate will roll on the bottom of the box as the endgate ismoved forwardly and rearwardly as will later be shown. The rollers areprovided with shields 57 for cleaning ahead and behind the rollers andto prevent the rollers from becoming clogged. The shield being attachedto shafts of the rollers so that they will oscillate and not being fixedto the endgate except by the shaft.

Rigidly secured to the cross member 13 are outwardly extending arms 58having openings in their outer ends for receivng the ends of a shaft 59.Arms 60 and 61 having one end pivotally attached to the shaft 59 extendparallel and then inwardly at an angle as indicated at 62 (FIG. 4) andthence parallel and connect with an extension connection 63 by a pin orthe like 64 of a plurality of legs 65 which diverge outwardly and havetheir three ends spaced and rigidly secured by welding or other suitablemeans to the rearward side 66 of the endgate, as illustrated in FIG. 4,so as to distribute the forces for moving the endgate in the box, aswill later be shown. A substantially U-shaped bracket member 68 has itsfree ends or the side arms 69 rigidly secured to the diagonal braces 70of the frame structure, as illustrated in FIG. 3. The arms of theU-shaped member are connected by a shaft 71 to which is pivotallymounted one end of a cylinder 72. The piston rod 73 of the cylinder 72is pivotally attached as indicated at 74 to an ear 75 of a cross member76 extending between the braces or arms 60 and 6 1, as illustrated inFIG. 4, for movement of the endgate forwardly and rearwardly in the box,as will later be shown.

In FIG. 3, it will be seen that the rear ends of the side members 9 areangled inwardly as indicated at 77, then in a line parallel to the sidesof the box at 78 and rigidly attached to the rear axle 79 of thevehicle. The diagonal braces 70 are extended from the axle 79 to thecross member 13 at the top of the box or frame and are rigidly securedthereto.

Pivotally attached at one end 80 thereof to the shaft 59 is a bar 81having its other end pivotally connected at 82 to a rod or bar 83 havingits other end pivotally connected at 84 to the rear center portion ofthe movable door 41, as best illustrated in FIG. 3, for moving the doorforwardly and rearwardly through an hydraulic cylinder 85 of doubleacting type. One end of the cylinder 85 is pivotally attached to thebracket 68. The other end of the cylinder 85 terminates in a piston rod86 having its free end pivotally attached by a pin 87 to the bar 81.

A fluid supply is connected to the cylinders heretofore described bylines, as will later be shown, and the fluid supply may be from thetractor or from a separate supply as desired.

In FIG. 5, there is illustrated diagrammatically the fluid supply meansfor operating the endgate and movable door. The fluid of the tractor maybe utilized for the purpose of my invention, but I have here illustrateda pump 90, a fluid supply tank 91 and a valve 92. The valve has achamber 93 with a double acting piston as indicated at 94 and 95 and isprovided with a control lever 96. The valve is divided into cmpartments97, 98 and 99. A line 100 leads from the chamber 98 to the rear end ofthe cylinder 72 and a branch line 120 leads to the front of cylinder 85.A line 101 leads from the chamber 98 to the front portion of thecylinder 72 and a branch line 121 leads to the rear portion of cylinder85. The pistons 72 and 85 are shown in the cylinders 72 and 85respectively, and the fluid lines are connected on either side of thepistons to form double acting ex tension member. A line 102 connects thepump to one side of the tank, as indicated at 103, and a line 104 leadsfrom the pump to the tank as indicated at 105. A branch line 106connects the line 104 with the chamber 98 of the valve 92, and branchlines 107 and 108 connect the line 104 with the valve at spaced pointsas shown in FIG. 5.

Mounted on the side edges 110 and 111 of the endgate 31 near the top ofthe endgate are brackets 112 and 113 having spaced ears, and mountedbetween the cars by pins 114 and 115 are rollers 116 and 117 whichextend slightly outwardly from the side edges of the endgate to contactthe inside of the walls of the frame of the vehicle to provide for easeof movement of the endgate in the box of the vehicle when the endgate isbeing moved forwardly and rearwardly therein.

The operation of a device constructed and assembled as describedoperates with a tractor which propels the scraper to a location wherethe scraper is to be loaded. For example, fluid from a source of fluidpressure and through controls on a tractor is transmitted through fluidline 117 (FIG. 2) to the extension members 25 for extending the same tomove the forward portion of the frame scraper downwardly to cause thescraper blade 22 to contact the earth to be moved. The movement of thetractor will cause the scraper to pass the earth over the scraper bladeand by the conveyor 28 is further moved into the box of the scraper.

It will be obvious at the beginning of the loading operation, themoveable door is forwardly as shown in the position in FIG. 1 to coverthe door opening, and the endgate 31 is moved backwardly against therear cross member 13 also as shown in FIG. 1. Operation of the conveyoris through mechanisms that are substantially the same as that shown inthe James E. Hancock application for patent Serial No. 715,713, filedFebruary 17, 1958. When a suitable amount of earth is loaded into thescraper, the hydraulic controls (not shown) are operated to effectcontraction of the extension member 25 to raise the forward ends of thescraper to a position for movement of the scraper to point it is to beunloaded.

When the scraper arrives at the point of unloading of the earthmaterial, movement of the control lever 96 to move the pistons 94 and 95to the right will open line 1% to cause fluid to flow from chamber 925through line 1% to the cylinder 72, back of the pistons 72 and throughbranch line 12th to cylinder 85 in front of the piston 85, therebycausing the moveable door 41 to be moved rearwardly by the piston rod 36and rod 83 through connection of bar of to open the door opening 20 and,at the same time, the fluid pressure behind the piston 72; and cylinder72 will cause the piston rod 73 to move forwardly to push the endgateforwardly in the box and cause the earth material to fall through thedoor opening 26. The fluid from behind piston 85 will move throughbranch line 121 through line 101 back to the chamber 99 of the valve,and the fluid from in front of the piston '72 will flow through line 101to chamber 99.

More resistance will be on the endgate due to the earth in the box, andthe moveable door will move to open position before the endgate movesentirely forward 1y. In other words, the movement of the door andendgate is in accordance with the resistance encountered by the dirt onthe door and the dirt in front of the endgate, and it will be obviousthat movement of the door from under the dirt will take less power thanto move the endgate forwardly in the box. Therefore, the greaterresistance will be on the piston 72 than on the piston 35 and will takegreater pressure to move the endgate forwardly.

When the earth ha been removed from the scraper, movement of the pistons94 and 5 by lever 96 to the left will open line 181 and close off line1%, thus causing the fluid pressure to flow to the rear of the piston85' and the cylinder 85 and forwardly of the piston 72 and cylinder 72,and the force of the fluid will cause the moveable door 41 to moveforwardly over the door opening and, when the strike-off blade and thebrackets with the horns d3 contact the roller 49 on the side of theframework structure, the strike-off blade will be raised to close thedoor opening 20 by the door 4:. and the strike-off blade.Simultaneously, with closing of the door 41, the endgate will moverearwardly in the box to its rearward position as shown in FIG. 1.During this operation, the excess fluid from the cylinders will bereturned to the through lines 128 and llfiti respectively throughchamber 7 and line 107.

During this operation, should the door have less force or resistanceagainst movement of the door in the forward end to close the dooropening, less pressure will be on the cylinder 85 and greater pressureon cylinder '72 to move the endgate rearwardly. Whichever has thegreater pressure, the movement will be in sequence, the same as when theoperation of unloading is being accomplished. A relief valve 122 isprovided in line 104 which will open at some predetermined pressure andallow the fluid to bypass the valve 92 should some obstruction occurthat would cause excessive pressure.

it is possible that some simultaneous movement may be made on thepistons in the respective cylinders and movement of the moveable doorand endgate may be simultaneous at times, but more likely that will bein sequence due to the greater resistance on one or the other, anddefinitely there will be greater pressure required to move the endgateforwardly in the box when the box is loaded. Fluid is fed to thecylinders simultaneous.y and while the endgate tends to advance whilethe moveable door is being moved rearwardly, it will not do so until theresistance to the endgate is less than that acting on the cylinder 85which controls the moving door. in other words, the flow to therespective cylinders is simultaneous, but the difference in resistanceto operation of the various objects will cause movement of the pistonsin the cylinder in accordance with the resistance encountered so that,by one movement of the control lever, control of the nioveable door andendgate is accomplished.

It will be obvious from the foregoing that I have provided an improvedearth moving apparatus and door operating mechanism and positiveejection mechanism, hydraulically controlled wherein the hydrauliccylinders will move in sequence in proportion to the resistanceencountered by the objects to be moved.

it is to be understood that while I have illustrated and described oneform of my invention, it is not to be limited to the specific form orarrangement of parts herein described and shown except insofar as suchlimitations are included in the claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for handling dirt comprising, a mobile frame, a dirtcollecting box having side walls and a fixed bottom between the sidewalls and extending forwardly from the back thereof a distance less thanthe length of the side walls forming a door opening forwardly of saidbottom, a forwardly extending scraper blade extending transversely ofthe dirt collecting box and fixed to said frame in forwardly spacedrelation to the forward end of said fixed bottom, a door for closing theopening in the bottom of the box, an endgate moveably mounted in therear of said box, hydraulic means for moving said door to open andclosed position, hydraulic means for moving said .endgate forwardly topush the dirt through the said door opening, a valve for controllingsaid hydraulic means whereby fluid is submitted to each of said meanssimultaneously and movement of said door and endgate is in sequence tothe resistance of each one against said hydraulic means.

2. Apparatus for handling dirt comprising, a mobile frame, a dirtcollecting box having side walls and a fixed bottom between the sidewalls and extending forwardly from the back thereof a distance less thanthe length of the side walls forming a door opening forwardly of saidbottom, a forwardly extending scraper blade extending transversely ofthe dirt collecting box and fixed to said frame in forwardly spacedrelation to the forward end of said fixed bottom, a door movably mountedon the side walls of said frame for movements over a portion of the dooropening, an endgate movably mounted in the rear of said box, a cylinderhaving a piston and rod connecting to said door for swinging said doorto open and closed position, a cylinder having a piston and rodconnected to the endgate for moving said endgate forwardly to push thedirt through the said door open-- ing, and a fluid control systemincluding a valve whereby lluid is submitted to said cylinders back ofsaid pistons simultaneously and movement of said door, and endgate is insequence to the resistance of the dirt on each one against movementthereof and against said pistons.

3. Apparatus for handling dirt comprising, a mobile frame a dirtcollecting box having side walls and a fixed bottom between the sidewalls and extending forwardly from the back thereof a distance less thanthe length of the side walls forming a door opening forwardly of saidbottom, a forwardly extending scraper blade extending transversely ofthe dirt collecting box and fixed to said frame in forwardly spacedrelation to the forward end of said fixed bottom, a door mounted on theside walls of said frame for movement over the door opening, astrike-off blade pivotally mounted on the forward edge of said door anddependent therefrom when the door is in retracted position for levellingthe dirt as it is discharged from the box, an endgate movably mounted inthe rear of said box, hydraulic means for sliding, longitudinal movementof said door to open and closed position, means on said strike-off bladeco operating with means carried by the forward portion of the frame forraising said strike-off blade to horizontal position for closing theportion of the door opening between the forward edge of the door and thescraper blade when the door is moved forwardly to closing posi- 4 tion,hydraulic means for moving said endgate forwardly to push the dirtthrough the said door opening and a valve for controlling said hydraulicmeans whereby fluid is submitted to each of said means simultaneouslyand movement of said door, and endgate is in sequence to the resistanceof each one against said hydraulic means.

4. Apparatus for handling dirt comprising, a mobile frame, a dirtcollecting box having side walls and a fixed bottom between the sidewalls and extending forwardly from the back thereof a distance less thanthe length of the side walls forming a door opening forwardly of saidbottom, a forwardly extending scraper blade extending transversely ofthe dirt collecting box and carried by said frame in forwardly spacedrelation to the forward end of said fixed bottom, a door, tracle waysmounted on the side walls of said frame, means on said door movable insaid trackways for movement of the door over a portion of the dooropening, a strikeoft blade pivotally mounted on the forward edge of saiddoor, an endgate movably mounted in the rear of said box, a bracketsecured to said frame rearwardly of said endgate, an hydraulic cylindermounted on said bracket having a piston and a rod connected to said doorfor moving said door to open and closed position, an hydraulic cylinderhaving a piston and a rod mounted on said bracket in horizontal relationto said endgate and having connection with said endgate for moving saidendgate forwardly to push the dirt through the said door opening, afluid supply, and means for supplying fluid to said cylinders on oneside of said piston simultaneously, whereby said door and endgate willoperate in sequence according to the resistance encountered by said doorand endgate.

5. Apparatus for handling dirt comprising, a mobile frame, a dirtcollecting box having side walls and a fixed bottom between the sidewalls and extending forwardly from the back thereof a distance less thanthe length of the side walls forming a door opening forwardly of saidbottom, a forwardly extending scraper blade extending transversely ofthe dirt collecting box and carried by said frame in forwardly spacedrelation to the forward end of said fixed bottom, a door movably mountedto the side walls of said frame for sliding, longitudinal movement overa portion of the door opening, a strike-off blade pivotally mounted onthe forward edge of said door, means on said strike-off bladecooperating with means on said frame for causing said strike-off bladeto assume a horizontal position after the dirt is removed from the box,an endgate movably mounted in the rear of said box, a bracket secured tosaid frame rearwardiy of said endgate, an hydraulic cylinder mounted onthe side of said bracket having a piston and a rod connected to saiddoor for moving said door to open and closed position, an hydrauliccylinder having a piston and a rod mounted on said bracket in horizontalrelation to said endgate and having connection with said endgate formoving said endgate forwardly to push the dirt through the said dooropening, a fluid supply, means for supplying fluid to said cylinders onone side of said pistons simultaneously, whereby said door and endgatewill operate in sequence according to the resistance encountered by saiddoor, strike-off blade and endgate, and means for returning excess fluidto said fluid supply.

6. Apparatus for handling dirt comprising, a mobile frame, a dirtcollecting box having side walls and a fixed bottom between lowerportions of the side walls and ex-- tending forwardly from the backthereof a distance less than the length of the side walls forming a dooropening forwardly of said bottom, a door movably mounted onsaid frameadjacent said lower portions of the side walls of the dirt collectingbox and extending thereunder to close said door opening wherebyretractive movement of said door opens said door opening, a strike-offblade mounted on the forward edge of said door and dependent therefromwhen the door is in retracted position for levelling the dirt as it isdischarged from the box, an en gate movably mounted in the rear of saidbox, hydraulic means carried by said frame rearwar-dly of said dirtcollecting box and operatively connected to said door for sliding,longitudinal movement of said door to open and closed position,hydraulic means carried by said frame rearwardly of said dirt collectingbox and operatively connected to said endgate for moving said endgateforwardiy to push the dirt through the said door opening when said dooris in retracted position, and a valve for controlling said hydraulicmeans whereby fluid is submitted to each of said means simultaneouslyand movement of said door and endgate is in sequence to the resistanceof each one against said hydraulic means.

7. Apparatus for handling dirt comprising, a mobile frame, a dirtcollecting box having side walls and a fixed bottom between lowerportions of the side walls and extending forwardly from the back thereofa distance less than the length of the side Walls forming a door openingforwardly of said bottom, a door for closing said door opening,trackways mounted on said frame and extending longitudinally thereofadjacent the lower portions of the side walls of said dirt collectingbox, means on said door movable in said trackways for movement of thedoor over the door opening, a strike-off blade mounted on the forwardedge of said door, an endgate movably mounted in the rear of said box, abracket secured to said frame rearwardly of said endgate, an hydrauliccylinder mounted on said bracket having a piston and a rod connected tosaid door for moving said door to open and closed position, an hydrauliccylinder having a piston and a rod mounted on said bracket in horizontalrelation to said endgate and having connection with said endgate formoving said endgate forwardly to push the dirt through the said dooropening when said door is in open position, a iluid supply, and meansfor supplying fluid to said cylindots on one side of said pistonssimultaneously, whereby said door and endgate will operate in sequenceaccording to the resistance encountered by said door and endgate.

Referenees Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,060,369 Gove Nov. 10, 1936 2,179,532 Walch Nov. 14, 1939 2,203,616Gurries June 4, 1940 2,227,433 Berner Jan. 7, 1941 2,244,471 NicholsJune 3, 1941 2,800,363 Gilpatrick July 23, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 888,166France Dec. 6, 1943

